The Texas Senate has passed a bill to eliminate the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, test. That’s the standardized exam long used to measure student learning and teacher performance across public schools. House Bill 4 would replace STAAR with three shorter tests given throughout the year, offering results within 24 hours to help teachers adjust instruction.
As Texas Public Radio reports, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said. “I think we're finally getting it right. And importantly, the educators gonna have a lot more access to information.” Bettencourt says HB 4 also “ensures accountability ratings are released clearly, fairly and with purpose to measure performance, report results and help schools improve.”
For a sense of scale of the required testing in the state, according to the a statement in June 2024 by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), “Without STARR, understanding how students are performing in each of the state’s 1,207 districts and public charter schools – which includes nearly 9,000 campuses - wouldn’t be possible.”
HB 4 would also limit legal challenges that have delayed accountability scores in recent years. The bill now heads back to the House for final approval. If approved, HB 4 will then head to Greg Abbott’s desk for his signature.
